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Kuwait: Quick Facts

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News •

Caryle Murphy Has Died. She Earned a Pulitzer for Reporting in Kuwait. • Oct. 25, 2026, 12:53 PM ET (New York Times)
Caryle Murphy, who won the Pulitzer Prize reporting from Kuwait, dies at 79 • Oct. 22, 2026, 1:00 PM ET (Washington Post)

Facts

Also Known As State of Kuwait • Dawlat al-Kuwayt
Head Of State And Government Emir: Sheikh Mishal al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah, assisted by Prime Minister: Sheikh Mohammad Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah
Capital Kuwait (city)
Population (2026 est.) 5,149,000
Currency Exchange Rate 1 USD equals 0.311 Kuwaiti dinar
Form Of Government constitutional monarchy with one legislative house (National Assembly [501])
Official Language Arabic
Official Religion Islam
Official Name دولة الكويت (Dawlat al-Kuwayt; “State of Kuwait”)
Total Area (Sq Km) 17,818
Total Area (Sq Mi) 6,880
Monetary Unit Kuwaiti dinar (KD)
Population Rank (2026) 127
Population Projection 2030 5,408,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi (2026) 748.4
Density: Persons Per Sq Km (2026) 289
Urban-Rural Population Urban: (2024) 100% • Rural: (2024) 0%
Life Expectancy At Birth Male: (2021) 77.3 years • Female: (2021) 81.8 years
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000) (2024) 199,681
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$) (2024) 40,770
1Excludes 15 cabinet ministers not elected to the National Assembly serving ex officio.

Photos and Videos

Kuwait
Map of Kuwait showing its national boundaries with Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the Persian Gulf, as well as major cities including Kuwait City, Al-Jahra, Al-Ahmadi, and Al-Wafrah. An inset locator map highlights Kuwait's position in the Middle East.
Kuwait City skyline with modern high-rise buildings and a tall communications tower in the center, set against the backdrop of the blue Persian Gulf.
Map showing the location of Kuwait in the Middle East, bordered by Iraq and Saudi Arabia and situated along the northwestern coast of the Persian Gulf. Neighboring countries and major bodies of water, including the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Caspian Sea, and Black Sea, are also labeled for regional context.
Kuwait Towers
Map of Kuwait highlighting its physical features, including Ash-Shiqaya Peak, Al-Zawr Escarpment, Kuwait Bay, and the islands of Bubiyan and Faylaka. The map shows borders with Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Iran across the Persian Gulf, and includes a small inset locator map of the region.
Kuwait city, Kuwait: Kuwait Towers
Kuwait city, Kuwait: ʿAbd Allāh al-Mubarraq al-Ṣabāḥ Mosque
The exterior of the Grand Mosque in Kuwait City features tall columns, a large central dome, a minaret, and a wide marble courtyard under a partly cloudy sky.
Bar graph showing Kuwait's age breakdown in 2005, with the largest group ages 30 to 44 at 34.2 percent, followed by 15 to 29 at 26.8 percent, under 15 at 24.3 percent, 45 to 59 at 11.6 percent, 60 to 74 at 2.7 percent, 75 to 84 at 0.3 percent, and 85 and over at 0.1 percent.
Explore the bustling Persian Gulf coast and vibrant nightlife of Kuwait's capital
Witness U.S. Pres. George H.W. Bush addressing Congress after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait
National anthem of Kuwait
See All Videos, Images, Audio and Interactives →

Related Topics and References

Topics
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Saddam Hussein
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Sheikh Jābir al-Aḥmad al-Jābir al-Ṣabāḥ
Sheikh Jābir al-Aḥmad al-Jābir al-Ṣabāḥ
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Sheikh Saʿd al-ʿAbd Allāh al-Sālim al-Ṣabāḥ
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Faylakah
island, Kuwait
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